Less than five years ago, business users and consumers alike were still complaining that a mobile phone had yet to be effectively fused with the functionality of a computer in a truly easy-to-use package. Not anymore, as phones have really got smarter and convergence has become the new mantra.
In plain speak, a smartphone is a device that combines the capabilities of a phone and a computer and runs an open operating system. They provide advanced capabilities, such as Web browsing, email and other software applications.
What has led to this evolution of the smartphone? Innovation: as the customers seek more in terms of handheld experiences. Smartphones actually offer customers a new mobile experience that saves time and money, as well as extreme innovation, exemplified by explosive growth in mobile applications or ?apps?. Their popularity has sparked fierce competition among platform vendors, device manufacturers and content providers, which has driven further demand.
Just to trace the history of smartphones, the first smartphone was called Simon; it was designed by IBM in 1992. Besides being a mobile phone, it also contained a calendar, address book, world clock, calculator, notepad, e-mail, send and receive fax, and games. The Nokia Communicator line was the first of Nokia?s smartphones starting with the Nokia 9000, released in 1996. The Nokia 9210 was the first colour screen Communicator model which was the first true smartphone with an open operating system; the 9500 Communicator was also Nokia?s first camera phone Communicator and Nokia?s first WiFi phone. The series continued.
Then came the rise of operating systems from giants like Windows and in 2001 Microsoft announced its Windows CE Pocket PC OS would be offered on Microsoft Windows Powered Smartphone 2002. This was followed by Palm releasing their device in 2002 with a full keyboard. The world was to get its next wave smartphone in the form of RIM launching Blackberry in 2002. This device was the first smartphone optimised for wireless email. With RIM?s Blackberry, the smartphone truly arrived.
However, the brands and manufactures were not going to rest and this led to software OS companies fostering growth of the category. The two leaders being Apple through their iPhone and Google?s Android. In 2007, Apple introduced its first iPhone. It was one of the first smartphones to be mainly controlled through its touchscreen with a multitouch interface. In 2008, Google launched Android, a cross platform OS for smartphones. The software suite included on the platform consists of integration with Google?s proprietary applications, such as Maps, Calendar, and Gmail, and a full HTML web browser.
A quick understanding of the market shows the following trends.
Commoditisation of hardware: Smartphones are increasingly difficult to distinguish in terms of hardware or form factors. Brands will vie for the same features albeit at better prices and applications.
Smartphones have become software driven: Apple?s iPhone and smartphones with Android have showcased a differentiated operating system to attract consumers and third party software developers.
The new age smartphone allows a customer to carry his office around. Sample this: most smartphones now allow viewing and editing office documents, managing e-mail, MS Exchange, GPS, Navigation and much more. Internet applications like Flickr, weather, news, sports, blogging, push email are now standard features. The next wave is coming with e-book readers. Indeed, We are seeing the true meaning of convergence come alive with these phones. In India, as the customer base for these phones goes up, the handset vendors are offering these phones at prices as low as Rs 9,000, versus an average price point of Rs 30,000 just two years ago. At the upper end of the spectrum, high-end phones like the Galaxy S, Blackberry Torch and the N8 offer high feature devices power packed with high speed processors, big memories and amazing life like screens. It seems that there is now a smartphone or everyone.
As the customers get delighted with these power packed devices, most vendors globally are focusing on building smartphones as they expect 50% of their future volumes being derived from this category. In future as the customer gets smarter, the smartphone will become an expression of his personality.
?The writer is CEO, Spice Hotspot